1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to arrayed optical fiber collimators and, more specifically, a system and method for fabricating arrayed optical fiber collimators.
2. Technical Background
Arrayed optical fiber collimators are increasingly utilized in optical systems. For example, arrayed optical fiber collimators have been used or proposed for use in conjunction with various optical chips, e.g., optical isolator chips and optical circulator chips. Due to the recent increase in demand for arrayed optical devices to be used in dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) systems, reducing the arrayed optical device cost has become increasingly important. However, the effectiveness of optical devices that use collimating arrays, incorporating graded-index (GRIN), aspheric or Fresnel microlenses, are highly dependent on the configuration of a given optical fiber collimator array. As such, it is important to configure the fiber collimator array to reduce optical losses.
What is needed is a system and method for aligning components of an arrayed optical fiber collimator that is practical and minimizes optical losses.
The present invention is directed to a system and method for actively aligning components of an arrayed optical fiber collimator. Initially, a first fixture is provided for receiving and retaining an optical fiber array block, which receives and retains a plurality of individual optical fibers. Next, a second fixture is provided for receiving and retaining a microlens array substrate that includes a plurality of microlenses integrated along a microlens surface and a substrate surface opposite the microlens surface. Then, a third fixture is provided for receiving and retaining at least a portion of a first light receiver that is positioned to receive a light beam from at least one of the integrated microlenses. Next, at least one light beam is provided from the light source to at least one of the plurality of individual optical fibers. The relative position of at least one of the microlens array substrate and the optical fiber array block is then adjusted to maximize the optical power of the light beam received by the first light receiver. Finally, a finished arrayed optical fiber collimator is provided by fixing the optical fiber array block to the microlens array substrate when the optical power provided by the integrated microlens is at a maximum.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows and will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description or recognized by practicing the invention as described in the description which follows together with the claims and appended drawings.
It is to be understood that the foregoing description is exemplary of the invention only and is intended to provide an overview for the understanding of the nature and character of the invention as it is defined by the claims. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated and constitute part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various features and embodiments of the invention which, together with their description serve to explain the principals and operation of the invention.